Massage Therapy is one of the few professions that takes a similar approach to the Functional Medicine field. Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) cover from a lens view many aspects of a patient’s health terrain, including a health history of each body system on an intake form to fully understand the scope of a current treatment because symptoms do not exist in isolation. In addition, RMTs follow a somewhat similar approach to the therapeutic session in that they continually assess, recommend, and track healing. This is called ART of the practice in the Functional field and also defines what functional means in that things are not static and continually evolve and need a framework to help uncover causes of dysfunction.
Time is on the RMT’s side in being able to have longer appointments to fully understand a patient’s story, again similar to the Functional Field. Time also helps to build an empathetic bridge between the patient and therapist along with trust by being openly heard in a safe atmosphere. RMT appointments last anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes and in that time therapists can learn about how a condition may have started or its roots of inception. Roots are important to find out how an injury may have started in the soft tissue.
Lifestyle aspects are also key for RMTs because they promote active homecare exercise so that the work they have done to help the patient can be further enhanced by mobility. How someone breathes or how they hold their posture and stay active is vital for longevity and wellness.
RMTs spend time with patients, oodles of it, during sessions. This may foster discussions surrounding other related health issues that a shorter assessment might have missed. RMTs help physicians in this way by screening one’s health and referring back to the GP when necessary. Often, notations to GPs are made by the RMT to query the problem they have identified. In this way referring back to a GP or other healthcare practitioners is another vital part of an RMTs job.
RMTs are vital in the health care system for prevention and over the past few decades, many now know and trust that they are in good hands when they see the title “RMT” alongside business service advertisements or when they call a business and ask for one in seeking a safe and effective treatment. From a functional lens in assessment to recommendations based on best evidence-based practice, RMTs are leaders in the manual field of care. In BC, they are respected worldwide for their education in Clinical Sciences, and because people often get better so they can enjoy a sport or better flexibility for years to come. With a broad set of skillsets to a trained listening ear, RMTs are a great option for those seeking help for soft tissue dysfunction.
